Take a Picture, It Lasts Longer

The Heart House Program is rich with activities, programs, and projects that reach a variety of learning styles and interests. Every month we strive to provide a well-rounded after-school program that supports children's academic and social needs and feeds their increasing curiosities and interests! Whether we are working hard on our homework, strengthening our reading skills, completing a fitness challenge, participating in Heart House Idol, engaging with volunteers or guests--we continue to learn more about ourselves and the world around us!

We like to "capture" these fun and valuable moments to share with each other and with the community so that we can continue to look back on the successes of our children and programs at Heart House.

And while a picture does last a very long time, perhaps what lasts the longest are the feelings these moments provide---when a child shows you the "A" on their report card, when they get excited to see their Reading Buddy again next week, or when they simply smile or laugh as they are leaving at the end of the day.

Check our Photo Scrapbook to see what's been going on at Heart House!

That's a Lot of Burgers!

March Donor Spotlight:

University of Texas Chapter of Omega Chi Epsilon

Heart House was pleasantly surprised to receive a call from Joseph Chen, Vice-President of Omega Chi Epsilon (OXE), a Chemical Engineering honor society at the University of Texas at Austin, informing us that OXE had raised $1,500 and wanted to donate the money to Heart House.

A past officer of OXE had been a Heart House volunteer and convinced the society to direct its proceeds to us. How had OXE brought in these funds? By flipping burgers on the quad and feeding hungry UT students!

OXE’s concession stand is just one of the society’s many initiatives, which include: sponsoring student-faculty and alumni activities; providing tutorial services to chemical engineering students; assembling chemical engineering graduate school information and providing career guidance to high school students.

Heart House thanks Joseph and the other members of OXE for this generous donation, and looks forward to OXE’s next visit to Heart House when OXE will perform science experiments for the children.

About OXE (courtesy of the OXE website):

The Society of Omega Chi Epsilon promotes high scholarship, encourages original investigation in Chemical Engineering, and recognizes the valuable traits of character, integrity, and leadership. The Society serves both undergraduate and graduate students within the Chemical Engineering Department. It encourages meaningful student faculty dialogue within the department.

The Get Fit Challenge!

One of the hugest issues on everyone's mind right now is health. There are staggering statistics* which raise much cause for concern and ACTION among communities to create mentally, physically, and socially healthier children and adults.

That is why Heart House, in partnership with Shoes for Austin, has launched THE GET FIT CHALLENGE to members of its programs and communities! We want to encourage healthier lifestyles among all children and adults and we want to unite us all in a common goal to increase enthusiasm and motivation to think, eat, move, and act like stronger and healthier individuals.

This is how it works:

The children receive The Get Fit Challenge Sheets full of activity ideas worth different amounts of points! Click on the link to read over the sheet.

Children receive points for completing activities at Heart House and at home and then once they have reached 100 points, they turn in their sheets for a FREE pair of athletic shoes! These shoes have been generously donated by a grant from Shoes for Austin. (http://shoesforaustin.org/)

As an added incentive, we are extending this challenge to all staff, volunteers, and Heart House contributors who would like to participate for FUN alongside our children!



Why is this program important?

To encourage children and families to participate in healthy activities together.

To provide resources and educational opportunities to children and families about living healthier lifestyles.

To encourage more adults to engage in healthy activities. After all, we model the behaviors and attitudes which kids pick up on!


The challenge emphasizes that healthy activities and eating can actually be FUN!!!


Would you like to participate for FUN?

(NOTE: The free athletic shoe incentive is only for Heart House children.)

• Download The Get Fit Challenge Sheet
• Email Heart House's Program Director for specific activity resources at: marmendariz@hearthouse.org
• Once you reach 100 points, email us at: marmendariz@hearthouse.org
• Good Luck from Heart House!

Get Fit!

*Statistics on adult and child health:


1. Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight (BMI > 25, which includes those who are obese). This is a staggering number, and one of the hugest reasons why we should wake up and pay attention to the impact it is having on American lives--adults, children, families, and communities.[http://www.overweightteen.com/resources.html]

2. Approximately 15.3 percent of children (ages 6–11) and 15.5 percent of adolescents (ages 12–19) were overweight in 2000. An additional 15 percent of children and 14.9 percent of adolescents were at risk for overweight (based on BMI / body mass index measures).[http://www.overweightteen.com/resources.html]

3. The prevalence of overweight and obesity has steadily increased over the years among both genders, all ages, all racial/ethnic groups, and all educational levels.[http://www.overweightteen.com/resources.html]

4. The percentage of children and adolescents who are defined as overweight has more than doubled since the early 1970s. [http://www.overweightteen.com/resources.html]

5. The rate of increase of depression among children is an astounding 23%[Harvard University study reported in Harvard Mental Health Newsletter, February 2002.]

6. Physiological problems, plus learned beliefs and behaviors make functional decisions difficult, and the results reinforce the depression in a vicious cycle. [Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences>]

Literacy Awareness Day

Recently, our friends from Alpha Phi Omega hosted a literacy awareness day at Heart House North, incorporating a variety of activities to reinforce the enjoyment and importance of reading. The younger students read stories with reading buddies and the older groups created their own children’s books.

Fourth & fifth graders work with Delta Phi Omega volunteers to write their very own children’s stories.

First graders enjoy some special reading time with a Delta Phi Omega volunteer.

"You get back more than you give.”

Volunteer Spotlight

Bruce Peterson grew up in Minnesota and “moved to Austin for the music, the natural beauty, and the creative, laid-back vibe.” He runs the musical booking agency Truetone Talent and has been volunteering as a Reading Buddy for Heart House South since October.

Bruce enjoys reading as well as playing guitar and watching basketball. “He’s always consistent and has a positive attitude”, says site director Joey Borja. “Lexis, his reading buddy, is always asking for him.”

Bruce says his most memorable Heart House moment was “receiving a holiday gift and drawing” from his Reading Buddy. The kids really enjoy Bruce. He feels that he makes a difference in their lives because “someone does care what they do, and cares that they learn.” He keeps coming back to Heart House because he wants to be “a consistent, positive influence in a young person’s life. Volunteering has made me realize that you get back more than you give.”

The Many Kinds of Smart

Heart House has three beliefs upon which we build our program:

• Critical thinking skills are a liberating force in education and a powerful resource in one’s personal and civic life. We should and can teach children to be critical thinkers.
• Curiosity is one of the most fundamental tools children can bring to their early learning experiences. We will model and foster curiosity as a highly esteemed value at Heart House.
• Children are smart in different ways. We will honor the multiple intelligences of our Heart House children.

This month, we'd like to tell you a little more about one of these beliefs.

Children Are Smart in Different Ways: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences

Our schools and culture focus most of their attention on linguistic and logical-mathematical intelligence. This educational model esteems the highly articulate or logical people of our culture.

Heart House believes that we should also place equal attention on individuals who show gifts in the other intelligences: the artists, architects, musicians, naturalists, designers, dancers, therapists, philosophers, entrepreneurs, and others who enrich the world in which we live.

Unfortunately, many children who have these gifts don’t always receive much reinforcement for them. Many of these kids, in fact, end up being labeled as learning disabled or underachievers, when their unique ways of thinking and learning aren’t addressed by a heavily linguistic or logical-mathematical education system.

At Heart House, we like to present lessons in a variety of ways, using music, cooperative learning, art activities, role play, multimedia, field trips, inner reflection, and much more.

For example, when studying about Japan, we could integrate the following activities for a well-rounded thematic learning unit that supports the genius of EACH of the wonderful children we serve.

• Verbal Intelligence
  Write short stories based on culture, write a puppet show, and write haiku
• Logical Intelligence
  Convert currency, explore the geometry of origami, and play a game of Go
• Visual Intelligence
  Make drawings of or construct model pagodas and torii with Legos, learn and practice calligraphy, and design a set for a kabuki performance
• Kinesthetic Intelligence
  Learn karate moves, practice cultural dances,and study the strategy of Sumo wrestling
• Musical/Rhythmic Intelligence
  Learn songs in Japanese and study traditional Japanese music, make kotos and other Japanese instruments, and study taiko drumming
• Intrapersonal Intelligence
  Do independent work, such as computer programming or research, on the tea ceremony, and explore and practice meditation
• Interpersonal Intelligence
  Explore the importance and components of the bowing ritual, or act as presenters of puppet show or skit that incorporates thoughtful study of the Japanese culture and group mindset
• Naturalist Intelligence
  Learn ikebana (the art of flower arranging), study bonsai trees, and make a rock garden using local materials
• Existential Intelligence
  Study koans and zen stories, or compare and contrast Buddhism and Shintoism.

At the heart of it, our belief in the rich variety of the genius of children has broadened our idea of what constitutes giftedness.

Do you have a special gift, passion or talent to share with the Heart House children? Maybe you love scuba diving and want to show the children your gear and talk about your last dive trip. Maybe you love to paint and want to be a guest art teacher. Or maybe you love gardening and want to show the children how to plant a tomato plant. The ways in which you can engage are endless. Contact us at volunteer@hearthouse.org and see how you can come brighten a child's day and expand their mind at Heart House. We'd love for you to be our special guest!

Your Turn!
Discover your individual genius by taking this short Multiple Intelligences Self-Inventory. There are just a few questions to answer, which should take approximately five minutes to complete. Click on the graphic below to begin.

Small Heart House Feet Receive New Shoes

1379 Kids is a neat store in Austin that sells comfortable and durable athletic wear for kids. Lindsay and Mike Rosenthal, lifelong, exceptional athletes and, recently, parents to three young children, identified the need for a store dedicated exclusively to children’s fitness.

Lindsay is an Austin native and was captain of the volleyball team at the University of Notre Dame, where she met her husband, Mike, now an offensive lineman in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. The store’s name was inspired by Lindsay and Mike’s jersey numbers at Notre Dame, 13 and 79, respectively.



1379 Kids promotes an active lifestyle for kids and their families, offering family walking groups on the weekends and making their customers aware of upcoming community runs and other fitness events. The store is located at 2727 Exposition Boulevard in Tarrytown. It is extremely kid-friendly, with toys, balls and activities available for the children while the adults shop.

When Heart House was looking for shoes to give to Heart House children as a reward for completing a reading program, 1379 Kids gladly donated 10 pairs of athletic shoes!

Thanks, 1379, for all that you do to promote a healthy lifestyle for kids in Austin, and for your exceptional generosity to the children of Heart House!

Heart House Video Posted on YouTube

Our wonderful friend Jay Rogers has posted a FABULOUS Heart House video on YouTube. Video reviews are overwhelmingly positive but clearly have tear-making potential. Watch this engaging video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDj0W_6h0-k

What We're Studying This Month

This month’s theme is “Get Fit” and is all about how physical, emotional, and social health are important to our daily lives. Children will be learning about all the elements of health and how everything from eating a rainbow of foods to exercising creatively to relieving stress can provide kids with some important choices and tools to be healthier and happier. This month the children will also have a chance to complete fitness challenges at Heart House and with their friends and families outside of Heart House in an effort to engage the entire family in living healthier lifestyles!

Last month our theme was “It’s a Process!” This theme focused on the step-by-step processes involved in creating things and learning skills. Heart House kids learned how other people and animals do things, how things are made, and how to do things themselves! Some activities included how to paint like famous artists, how to make musical instruments, and how to survive different situations. (Below are pictures from “How to Paint like Picasso”.) Also, several volunteers taught kids how to do things like sing songs from other countries, defend themselves from strangers, make jewelry, and create fast airplanes.